Forming tool for wire anchors



April 2, 1946. T. A. HUTSELL FORMING TOOL FOR WIRE ANCHORS Filed April 15, 1944 HUTSELL INVENTOR.

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Patented Apr. 2, 194Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 2,397,739 FORMING 'rooL FOR wmE ANCHORS Thomas A. Hutsell, Benton, Wash. Application April 15, 1944, Serial No. 531,220

4 Claims. (o1..14o--119) This invention relates to a forming tool for wire anchors and, more particularly, to a tool useful in twisting strands of wire to form anchors.

In engine servicing operations, with particular reference to aircraft or trucks and tank engines, it is often customary to twist wires that are passed through holes in nut and stud bolts to anchor the same. The problem becomes particularly complex when such wires are to run through a series of bolts and nuts, in which case twisting must be between the members being anchored. Previously such an operation has been performed by inserting between the wire strands a small pin or nail and manually twisting the strands by causing the pin or nail to rotate. Certain tools have been provided but their use is limited by the space available in which to operate them.

Having in mind the defects of the prior art, it is an object of my invention to provide a tool for forming twisted wire anchors in extremely limited space.

Another object of my invention is the provision, in a tool of the type described, of wire gripping means which can be easily connected to but cannot become dislodged or disconnected from the wire during a twisting operation.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is to provide, in a tool of the type described, a pair of relatively moveable wire engaging jaws that cannot be opened during the wire twisting operation.

The foregoing objects and others ancillary thereto I prefer to accomplish as follows:

According to a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a hollow shank or stem having mounted therein an extended train of gears. At one end of the shank is a handle and adjacent that handle, and keyed to the gear adjacent the handle, is a crank which may be manually rotated to produce rotation throughout the gear train. The last gear in the train, opposite that to which the crank is connected, is radially slotted and is mounted upon a radially slotted pin so that a pair of wires may be straddled in preparation for their twisting. The housing is also slotted so that the tool may be engaged over such a pair of wires. The slotted gear moves relative its slotted journal pin and this relative movement is useful for looking a pair of wires in the slot of the pin. A centering detent cooperates with the slotted pin for aligning the pin and the housing slot when the tool is to be disengaged from wires previously twisted.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an upright elevational view of my wire forming tool with portions broken away and others shown in section for convenience of illustration;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-.-2 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views of lockable wire engaging and twisting means em ployed in my tool;

Figures 5 and 6 are schematic views showing, respectively, the manner in which a pair of wires to be twisted is engaged, and the manner of twisting them by the use of my tool; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section view taken A on line 7-1 of Figure 1.

A wire forming tool of the type described, to

overcome the defects hereinbefore mentioned,

must have at least two totally distinct characteristics; it must be capable of rapid engagement to and disengagement from a pair of wires for the performance of a wire twisting operation; and it must also provide a positive lock whereby the tool is retained relative to the wires being twisted during the twisting operation. Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of my invention, referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, is constituted by the hollow shankhere shown to comprise the two stamped metal channels 10 and I I, which when joined, form a generally rectangular hollow member. Mounted upon a" series of spaced apart pins 12 is a train of solid gears l4, l5, l6, l1, l8, I9, 20 and 2| and radially slotted gear 22. The teeth of pairs of gears in the train are in intermesh. It will be seen that when the gear l4 secured to the crank pin [3 is rotated, this rotary motion will be transmitted throughout the gear train to the gear 22 remote therefrom. Rotation of pin I3 and gear I4 is obtained by means of the arm 24 having crank handle 25. Gear 22 is mounted for rotation upon the pin 21 which has a radial slot 28 longitudinally throughout its length.

The gear 22 is radially slotted at 30 as is also the housing H) which has slot 32 entering from the end.

On its exterior face pin 21 has groove 34 in which the dog or pin 35, carried by gear 22, op-

eratesto permit limited relative movement between the pin 21'and gear 22.

Referring specifically to Figures 5 and 6, itwill be seen that; upon the engine block 13, a pair of nuts N, N are threadedly engaged on the studs S, S. The nuts and studs are pierced and a pair of wires W, W are passed through the piercings and extend between such a pair of nuts in rela tively parallel relationship to each other.

To twist the wires, from the showing of Figure 5 to that of Figure 6, the wires are first straddled by being inserted into the opening 32 of the hous ing, the opening 3!] of gear 22, and the open-; g

ing 28 of the pin 27 until theyrare placed approximately' at the axis of pin 21. Manual rotation a radial groove longitudinally thereof to receive wire strands to be twisted, a ring gear mounted on said pin and having a portion of the periphery thereof cut away, the'openin-g provided by the of gear I lthroughrthe instrumentality of crank arm' 24 produces an initial rotation of gear 22 This functionis delineated in relative .pin 27. Figure 4 which may be compared with Figure3 It willbe seen that the two wires W are thus locked in the slot 28oz pin 2'! which is picked up and begins to rotate when pin 35 arrives at l the end of the groove 34. This lost motion action is of a limited'nature, but is sufficient to close the gap of slot 23 torinsure the retention, during 7 rotation, of the wires W. Continued rotation of the gears through the operation of the crank is carried on until a proper amount of twisting is obtained. 7

Referring specifically to'Figure 7, I illustrate means employed in centering or aligning the slot 28 in pin 2] with the slot 32 of the casing. The

1 pin 2'! hasa flat surface ie at right angles to the 7 7 slot 28 ,and spring bar 52, anchored at 43in the casing It, extends across the flat surface 40 andv serves as an indic'atoras wellas a retainer. It

s will be apparent that as the pin 27 rotates a click; 7 ing action will obtain due to the rise and fall of the pin 42 relative the surface all. When it is desired to disengage the tool from a pair of wire strands that have been twisted the operator cut away portion of the ring gear being normally aligned with the groove of said pin, means for rotating said gear, and a delayed-motion con-r nection between said gear and said pin whereby upon rotation of the gear thecutaway portion in the periphery, thereof is first dis'aligned relative the groove in said pin and thereafter the gear and the pin are rotated together to twist a pair of V wires which may be disposed in the groove of said pin.

2. A wire twisting tool, comprising: a frame,

a pin having a radial groove longitudinally therein to receive wire strands to be twisted, said pin being mounted in said frame for rotation, a

ring gear mounted upon said pin and having a peripheral slot normally aligned with the groove "of said pin, means'permitting limited movement of said ring gear relative said: pin, means for jointly rotating said gear and said pin whereby a twisting action is applied to wire strands inserted in the groove of said pin, and

detent means for'releasably restraining rotation ofrsaid pin during rotary movement of the gear stops the 'tool at one of the clicks, then backs up v on the crank arm 24 untilthe dog 35 has moved counter-clockwise in the groove 34 the limit thereof and slot 39 in gear 22 While I have shown and described particular embodiments of my invention, 'it will occur to those; skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention, andI, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my'invention.

. will be aligned with;

the slot 28 of pin 21.

relative said pin. 7

3. A wire twisting tool, comprising: a frame, a pin having a radial groove longitudinally therein to receive wire strands to be twisted, said pin being-mounted in said frame forrotation, a ring gear mounted upon said pin and having a periph- V eral slot normally aligned with the groove of said pin, an elongated groove and pin delayed-motion connection between said ring gear and" said pin to permit limited movement of said ring gear relative said pin, and means for jointly rotating said gear and said pin whereby a twisting action is applied to wire strands inserted in the groove ofsaid pin. I r r 7 4. A wire twisting tool, comprising: a frame, a

pin having a radial groove longitudinally therein to receive wire strands to be twisted, said pin being journalled in said frame, a ring gear mounted upon said pin and having a peripheral slot normally aligned with the radial groove in said pin, an arcuate groove, in one of said members and lying between saidopinand gear, a dog pin inthe other of 'said members and extending into said arcuate groove, means for rotating said gear whereby from the normal position the slot V in the gear is first disaligned with the radial groove of the journal pin and then the two members rotate together. 7

THOMAS'A. YI-IUTSIEILLV 

